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Neutrogena vs Avène

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Neutrogena and Avène are skincare brands that offer moisturizers, sunscreens, and cleansers for various complexions. The American brand is known for glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone, which suit dry and mature skin best. Meanwhile, the French brand relies on glycerin to create versatile formulas that suit acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin. While both share a focus on hydration, they differ in their origin, founding eras, and primary skin type matches.

Neutrogena is an American skincare brand founded in 1930 and owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026.

investor.kimberly-clark.comen.wikipedia.orginvestors.kenvue.com

Avène is a French skincare brand founded in 1990 and owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre.

pierre-fabre.comavene.co.ukaveneusa.com

This page compares some of the most popular Neutrogena and Avène products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Neutrogena vs Avène products

People Say

NeutrogenaAvène
  • Acne-safe and gentle on sensitive skin Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “leaves skin soft and balanced — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “love that it has no scent — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “leaves face clean but not dry — Avène Cleanance”
    • “Perfect cleanser for sensitive skin. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
  • Deep hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looked plumper and radiant — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “It also hydrates my skin. This cream has been so easy to add to my routine. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
    • “Quenches dry skin instantly — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
    • “Restores moisture barrier — Avène Cold Cream”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky residue — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “absorbs instantly — Neutrogena COLLAGEN BANK Moisturizer”
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “absorbs very quickly — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
  • Improves texture and anti-aging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin is looking smoother — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “Deep lines have softened — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “I've noticed a definite improvement in the fine lines around my eyes — Avène RetrinAL EYES”
    • “skin feels smoother — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
  • Fast absorption Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Absorbs quickly — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “Absorbs really well into my skin without leaving a greasy residue behind. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
    • “Applies easily and quickly absorbs. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue. — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
  • Makeup compatibility and base Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Foundation glides right over it — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Concealer doesn't cake or get stuck in crevices — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “Works well under makeup — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “Remove a all of the makeup with ease. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
  • Strong fragrance and scent issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Smell is too overpowering and lingering — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Scent is so off-putting — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “The fragrance is very present. — Avène Milk Cleanser”
    • “smell is too strong — Avène Cleanance”
  • Price and quantity value Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Its a bit pricey but so worth it!! — Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm”
    • “a bit pricey — Avène Cleanance”
    • “small tube — Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate”
    • “Jar is too small for the price — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
  • Skin irritation and reactions Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “burned my skin — Avène Cleanance”
    • “caused burning sensation — Avène Vitamin Activ Cg Radiance Concentrated Serum”
    • “caused rash — Avène Antirougeurs Fort Relief Concentrate”
    • “Made my face very red — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”

Neutrogena vs Avène routines for dry skin

Buy Neutrogena routine · £135.42 · 87% fitBuy Avène routine · £93.03 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Neutrogena vs Avène routines for oily skin

Buy Avène routine · £170.97 · 86% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · £154.72 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Neutrogena vs Avène routines for combination skin

Buy Avène routine · £195.53 · 88% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · £177.52 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Neutrogena or Avène: which is better?

Neutrogena is better for deep hydration and lightweight textures, whereas Avène tends to offer better price and quantity value on this page. Both brands achieve an equal routine fit across all skin types.

What is the difference between Neutrogena and Avène?

Neutrogena offers a wider variety of products focused on deep hydration and fast absorption, while Avène emphasizes soothing sensitive skin with thermal spring water. Both brands provide equally high routine fit levels across most skin types on these pages.

Neutrogena or Avène for dry skin?

Both Neutrogena and Avène fit dry skin at a High routine fit level on the products on this page. Neutrogena helps provide deep hydration, while Avène is unlikely to strip moisture with its gentle cleansers.

Neutrogena or Avène: which cleanser is better?

Neutrogena has superior cleansers for mature, acne-prone, sensitive, and combination skin types. Avène cleansers provide a high fit for oily acne-prone, acne-prone, and oily skin.

Which is more affordable, Neutrogena or Avène?

When it comes to value, Avène is noted for price point concerns less often than Neutrogena, which faces more packaging and value complaints across the products on this page.

Between Neutrogena and Avène, which brand has more products that are free of artificial fragrance?

Neutrogena has more products that are free of artificial fragrance, with thirty-five of thirty-nine products on this page listing no fragrance compared to seven of fifteen products for Avène.

How do the founding countries and corporate ownership differ between Neutrogena and Avène?

Neutrogena was founded in the United States in 1930 and is owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026, whereas Avène was founded in France in 1990 and is owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre.

Which brand offers better performance for deep hydration and fast absorption according to reviewer feedback?

Neutrogena outperforms Avène for deep hydration and fast absorption according to reviewer feedback.

Neutrogena or Avène for oily skin?

Both Neutrogena and Avène have products on this page that achieve a High Lovi fit level for oily skin. Neutrogena is noted for deeper hydration and faster absorption, while Avène offers effective oil control.

Neutrogena or Avène: which moisturizer is better?

Neutrogena is better for deep hydration and lightweight, fast-absorbing textures, as reviewers mostly note its moisturizers for these benefits on this page. Avène offers good options like Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm, but Neutrogena's products on this page frequently feature hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid that help improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Neutrogena or Avène for sensitive skin?

Both Neutrogena and Avène fit sensitive skin well on the products on this page. Neutrogena is owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026, while Avène is owned by Fondation Pierre Fabre.

Neutrogena or Avène: which sunscreen is better?

Neutrogena offers a wider variety of sunscreens on this page with higher Lovi fit levels across multiple skin types, such as the Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen and Clear Face Liquid Lotion Sunscreen which achieve a Superior fit for combination and sensitive skin.

Neutrogena or Avène for acne-prone skin?

Both Neutrogena and Avène fit acne-prone skin well, with Lovi fit levels reaching High across the products on this page. Neutrogena offers a wider range of targeted acne solutions, while Avène focuses on gentle cleansing and soothing irritation.

Research behind their key ingredients

Behind this comparison

Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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